Serbia's government on Monday asked President Aleksandar Vucic to dissolve parliament and call snap elections, a move that sets the stage for a vote in late October.

Prime Minister Djuro Macut made the announcement during a televised statement after an extraordinary government session. The proposal comes nearly two years after the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad killed 16 people and sparked widespread anti-government demonstrations.

Under Serbian law, Vucic has 72 hours to decide on the dissolution. He has previously indicated the elections would take place on either October 18 or October 25, well ahead of the scheduled December 2027 vote.

The ruling Serbian Progressive Party, known as SNS, decided over the weekend to contest the election under the banner "United Serbia," with Vucic as its candidate for prime minister. Vucic has stated he would resign as president if appointed to the premiership, which would make parliament speaker Ana Brnabic the acting president.

The protests that prompted the early vote began after the November 2024 Novi Sad tragedy, which demonstrators attributed to corruption in public works projects. The demonstrations later expanded to broader demands for accountability and early elections.

Vucic, who has held power in Serbia since 2012, described the decision as a response to public calls for fresh parliamentary elections. The ruling party has maintained it is addressing those demands through constitutional means.

Opposition groups and student-led movements have welcomed the prospect of early voting but have signaled plans to field their own candidates. The election is expected to be competitive, with the student movement positioning itself as a significant challenger to the SNS.

The constitutional timeline requires between 45 and 60 days of campaigning once the election is formally called.